Gabriel's Bay

A heart-warming, thoroughly entertaining novel about a whole community.

Kerry Macfarlane has run away from his wedding-that-wasn't. He lands in coastal Gabriel's Bay, billed as 'a well-appointed small town' on its website (last updated two decades ago). Here Kerry hopes to prove he's not a complete failure. Or, at least, to give his most convincing impression.

But Gabriel's Bay has its own problems - low employment, no tourists, and a daunting hill road between it and civilisation. And Kerry must also run the gauntlet of its inhabitants- Sidney, single mother deserted by a feckless ex; Mac, the straight-shooting doctor's receptionist; a team of unruly nine-year-olds; a giant restaurateur; and the local progressive association, who'll debate apostrophe placement until the crack of doom.

Can Kerry win their respect, and perhaps even love? Will his brilliant plan to transform the town's fortunes earn him a lasting welcome in Gabriel's Bay?

Product Information

Reviews

'This is the perfect read for this time of year when we're still happy to escape into a good book at the beach or under a shade tree and take the time to savour, in this instance, the leisurely revelation of the people who live in Gabriel's Bay. Gabriel's Bay has once again lifted [Robertson's] writing to a new level, exhibiting a true flair for inhabiting an ambitious range of characters and revealing the nuances and intricacies of a small-town milieu with deftness, grace, and sympathy. Yet she never loses that witty insight that makes each character's journey of rediscovery, self-realisation and second chances feel very real.' -- Felicity Price, Stuff

Author description

Catherine Robertson's novels have all been #1 New Zealand bestsellers. Her fourth novel, The Hiding Places, also won the 2015 Nelson Public Libraries' Award for NZ Fiction. Catherine reviews books for the New Zealand Listener, and is a regular guest on Radio New Zealand's The Panel and Jesse Mulligan's Book Critic slot. She is married with two grown sons, two Burmese cats, two rescue dogs and a powerful vacuum cleaner. She divides her time between Wellington and Hawke's Bay.Born in Wellington, she attended Victoria University and has lived in San Francisco and Buckinghamshire. She has juggled novel writing with working in marketing consultancy. Hailed as 'a new national treasure' after her first book, Catherine was a featured author at the 2012 Frankfurt Book Fair. Two of her books have been published in Germany and her first has also been published in Italy. Kerre McIvor wrote of The Sweet Second Life of Darrell- 'This is the novel I wish I had written - a warm, laugh-out-loud, funny romantic comedy. Fans of Marion Keyes, who is the benchmark for clever, witty chick lit, will love this.'